I. Team Report

The Milwalkee Bucks went through yet another
disappointing season in '97-'98. What set this past season apart from other seasons is
that for the first time in a while, the Bucks finally had the talent to compete for a
playoff spot. At least on paper.

The Bucks were much more talented than their record would
indicate. This team was decimated by injuries much of the season, which ended up exposing
the Bucks greatest weakness; a weak bench.

When the season began, the Bucks had the making of a very
potent starting lineup; Glen Robinson (23.4 ppg), Ray Allen (19.5 ppg, 4.3 apg), Terrell Brandon (16.8 ppg, 7.7 apg), Tyrone Hill (10 ppg, 10.7 rpg), and Earvin Johnson (8 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 2 bpg). This lineup is about as balanced as you'll find
anywhere on the league, with an impressive combination of perimiter shooting, passing,
rebounding and defense. The problem was that rarely did this starting 5 actually get to
play together, as key injuries to Brandon (32 games), Robinson (26 games), Hill (25
games), and backup Andrew Lang
(25 games) crippled much of their offense. Adding to the problem was that off-season
pickup Earvin Johnson was somewhat of a dissappointment, averaging only 8.5 rpg, down over
2 rebounds per game over his average the year before with Denver. With Johnson's struggles
and Hill and Lang's injuries, the Bucks lacked a consistent interior presence. Undersized Armon Gilliam helped (11.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg) but
he simply was not enough.

Losing these key players forced Ford to go with such
unspectacular starters as Elliot Perry (7.3 ppg, 2.8 apg), Micheal Curry (6.6 ppg), Ricky Pierce (3.9 ppg), rookie Jerald Honeycutt (6.4ppg) Jamie Feick and Gilliam. With that kind of dropoff of talent,
it's not hard to understand why the Bucks didn't win more, even though their 36 wins was a
7 year high.

II. Draft History

The Bucks have 2 picks this year; the 9th and the 19th.
The 9th is their own pick, and the 19th is part of the Bucks deal to acquire Elliot Perry
from Phoenix.

This will certainly be an important summer for the Bucks development. They could either
become a contender or a doormat in a hurry, and it all starts with making the right
decisions on draft day.

III. Free
Agents

On the free agent front, the Bucks have only G

Ricky
Pierce and F/C Jamie Feick as free agents. Pierce has likely played his last game as a Buck, but
it's likely that Feick will be asked back, as he showed some feistiness in the latter
stages of the season. The Bucks have no significant salary cap space available, as
Robinson and Hill's contact, along with Brandon's $7 million balloon payment this year,
will eat up most of their cap space. Therefore, their free agent priorities this summer
include signing Brandon and Allen to contract extensions. Brandon has indicated he will
test free agency next summer rather than signing an extension, so a trade is possible as
well. Tyrone Hill signed a long-term deal this season, but has an escape clause next
summer, and has stated he will exercise it if the Bucks do not sign Brandon to a contract
this summer, which may turn the heat up a bit.

The Bucks want to select the best athlete available here, and I was expecting to select
a backcourt player, but landing Clark at #19 is a suprise, and he's just too good an
athlete to pass up, despite selecting Robert Traylor
earlier. I would've taken Dickerson or Benjamin if they were available, but they jumped up
and were gone.

With Curry and Elliot as capable backups but not starters, the backsourt is not as
pressing a need as the frontcourt. Milwalkee's lack of a scoring low-post presence hurt
their record last year, and that point is not lost on GM

Bob
Weinhauer. He has stated that with 2 picks in the draft, they
will have the luxury of being able to fill a need (a big man) with the 9th pick, and then
go after the best athlete/talent available at pick #19. Let's look at the #9 pick first.

Many feel that Weinhauer's first choice would be to package both picks to move up in
the draft, but considering there is a noticeable dropoff in talent after pick 7-8, the
interest may be low. Assuming they keep both picks, they would love to get Traylor,
Nowitzki or Mohammed.

The 19th pick will be a little more fun and less nerve -wracking than the 9th for the
Bucks. Weinhauer is planning to have approximately 30 prospects in for workouts, and most
will be to audition for this pick rather than their top one. Like mentioned earlier,
because their starting rotation is pretty solid and their top pick will be used to fill
their biggest need, the Bucks will simply go after the best athlete available here.
Several players on their roster are heading into the final year of their contract
(including Brandon, Allen, and Hill), so Milwalkee needs to keep an eye on the future. No
player taken with this pick will be expected OR needed to contribute right away, but can
be brought along slowly and given time to develop.

I think the Bucks would like to add to their backcourt depth with this pick, and there
are several players who could qualify. Toby Bailey, Micheal Dickerson, and Cory Benjamin are the most common names being bandied
about, but another who may shoot up the prospects list is Bryce
Drew. Displaying skills suitable to both the point guard and shooting guard spots,
Drew impressed enough scouts in Chicago last week to be considered a 1st rounder, and
demand for him may increase.